I can see how one would be sentimental over William S. Hart's last Western, especially considering Hart was such a sentimentalist himself. But, his prime was years ago, with such films as "Hell's Hinges" (1916), "The Narrow Trail" (1917) and "Wagon Tracks" (1919). "Tumbleweeds" is far removed from those Hart vehicles. Hart had done away with his patented good bad-man persona; here, he's a gentler and fatter, goofy but good-natured, old cowboy. Hart also gets a dimwitted comedic sidekick, unfortunately. The filmmakers, first, attempt some romantic imagery, which generally fails, and, then, aim too much for humor, with lots of buffoonery. This new style probably reflects Hart's attempts to emulate the new B-Western shoot-em-ups, which had been surpassing his more adult Westerns in popularity by attracting a large audience of young boys.
The villains suddenly impose a more dramatic tone to the second half of the film, and lead it to its inevitable conclusion. The fatality of the open frontier in the story mirrors that of Hart's career, but rather than the evident passion and romanticism one gets in his earlier pictures, we get song title cards. Additionally, Hart is competing for a "civilized" woman here, rather than for his Christian soul. At least, it's nice to see a more friendly, if brief, treatment of Native Americans in this Hart outing. And, Hart does have one more exciting, well-edited horse-race climax in him, but it was definitely time to hang up the saddle.
The villains suddenly impose a more dramatic tone to the second half of the film, and lead it to its inevitable conclusion. The fatality of the open frontier in the story mirrors that of Hart's career, but rather than the evident passion and romanticism one gets in his earlier pictures, we get song title cards. Additionally, Hart is competing for a "civilized" woman here, rather than for his Christian soul. At least, it's nice to see a more friendly, if brief, treatment of Native Americans in this Hart outing. And, Hart does have one more exciting, well-edited horse-race climax in him, but it was definitely time to hang up the saddle.